Driver airbag modules housed in the hub area of a vehicle steering wheel generally have a cover element of plastic. Usually this cover element has two functional sections, namely a side wall extending from a lower to an upper end in a radial direction (in relation to the steering column) which encloses an interior space to receive an airbag, and a covering which covers the upper end of the side wall. In many embodiments of such cover elements the covering overlaps the side wall in a radial direction. In the process a section of this overlap can extend in an axial direction toward the lower end of the side wall. As a rule, this section too is visible to the driver and can be found, for example, at the “6 o'clock” or “12 o'clock” position. In the following such a section is designated as a screen section. Such a driver airbag module is known, for example, from DE 197 30 340 A1.
As already mentioned, such a cover element is made of plastic and there is frequently the wish, especially in high-priced vehicles, to provide the part of the cover element which is visible and accessible to the driver with a casing, in particular of leather. Such a casing may consist of several blanks which are initially sewn together before the then completely sewn casing is positioned on the cover element and is glued to it. In order that the casing lie flat on the cover element, it may feature, at least one groove in which a connection area of the casing configured as a stitch comes to rest. A driver airbag module of this type is shown in DE 10 2009 030 151 B3.
In order to be able to meet the high visual and haptic demands on such a coverable cover element—especially when covered with leather—and also for functional reasons, the cover element advantageously consists of a soft plastic.